SuperLiga night 1: Galaxy vs. Pachuca

This has been a great night of soccer. I rarely say I’m happy to have stayed home to watch sports on TV, but this was a special and unprecedented night.

MLS is now 1-0-1 after LA beat Pachuca, yes, the best team in CONCACAF, and perhaps in all of the Americas. Obviously, LA is in midseason form (as poor as that’s been), and Pachuca is in their preseason, but LA looked downright good tonight. Much-hated by Galaxy fans, Alan Gordon scored the first goal quite professionally on an assist by Donovan (and was even named man of the match by Telefutura). Pachuca came back in the 78th on one of those make-your-own-good luck goal. LA fought back proudly and went ahead 2-1 on their own lucky-ish goal by Cobi Jones, but credited to Landon Donovan, who happened to have a shin bone in the right place at the right time.

Whatever, the case, the suffering Galaxy did themselves and the league proud tonight. The ambience at Home Depot Center just looked at felt like a big-time event, and the Telefutura production is just so much more professional and easier to listen to than ESPN’s drivel-fest.

I had some doubts about how serious I and the teams would take this tournament even earlier today, but now I’m sucked in hook, line, and sinker. I can’t wait for tomorrow night to see the Dynamo vs. América at Robertson, and I really hope a good, loud, crowd comes out.